


and then there was one

by PhyllisCake



Series: Exalt Lissa [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Exalt Lissa, i dont really know what to tag, i think im not sure, i've never seen a fic about Exalt Lissa, idk is this a drabble, maybe im not looking in the right place
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 21:02:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7861033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhyllisCake/pseuds/PhyllisCake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a fluke. A cruel twist of fate. On the night of Emmeryn’s assassination, Ylisse lost not one, but two of its Exalted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and then there was one

1.

Chrom and Emmeryn are gone. Dead.

In the span of a few short hours, her world is completely crushed.  _She didn't even say goodbye._

She is only fifteen, she ~~screams~~ knows it's nothing to Emmeryn’s ten when she took the title.

But she doesn't have the Brand, and it hurts.

She is lost without her sister, her brother.

_It hurts._

whywhywhy--

 

2.

There is no time to rest, no time to mourn.

Her country's eyes and expectations have turned toward her so she hides her fears and anguish behind her smile, ~~and no one can see her cry alone at night~~.

No one knows what to say.

The childish pigtails are lost, ~~and it’s silly, but she really misses them~~. But she is the Exalt now, so she forces herself to appear more mature.

“Milady,” they all say, “Your Grace.” She misses when she was simply Lissa.

~~shehatesitall~~

 

3.

She begins learning to fight with a sword. It doesn’t suit her, but she keeps at.

They help. Frederick, Lon’qu, Robin, Sully, Stahl. Under their tutelage, she improves.

She will never be as proficient as her brother, but she is all Ylisse has left. ~~Even if she can't wield Falchion.~~

“Again,” they said. Once upon a time, she would have complained, and he--her brother--would have laughed and joked with her, but those days are long past. She wipes off the sweat from her forehead and picks herself off the ground. She takes her stance one more time, and attacks. It is difficult, so difficult, and she just wants to quit, but she loves her sister and her brother, so she continues for them, so she will never lose someone again.

Along with swordplay, she learns magic. It comes to her so so much more easily, so she trains with Maribelle, Miriel, Ricken, Robin as much as possible. Even then, her best skill will always be the art of healing.

~~not that it helped them in the end~~

 

4.

Her people doubt, and doubt, but like her sister before her, she tries her best and slowly wins their trust, ~~but it is still never the same~~.

People are killed, and she is reminded of a war she barely remembers. She resolves to not make the same mistakes as her father, to be like her siblings instead.

The Shepherds--especially, _especially_ Maribelle--are fiercely protective of her, but she knows she is not and never will be truly their captain. _But they are her family now._

When Mad King Gangrel underestimates her in that instant, and she is splattered with his blood, she cannot bring herself to celebrate. ~~shes too numb~~

She feels tired and broken, but they understand. They understand, and accept her. In turn, she reaches out for them and protects them, too.

But another war begins, and she ~~wishes she didn't need to deal with it~~  apologizes to her sister. But she **will** protect the country they loved with everything she has.

And later, with time, she slowly but surely recovers--until she can smile brightly again.

 

5.

When her son, her beautiful son, is born with the Brand on his tiny arm, she cries. For the first time, she knows. And everything was worth it in the end.

And years later, when hell hits, she fights to the bitter end to protect him and everyone. She won’t let anyone else she cares for die.

She's made a lot of mistakes, and has a lot of regrets. If just this one last time, she will succeed.

~~She is the first to fall.~~

And when it's over, and little Owain is left, he and his friends are saddled with a war that should not belong to them and a pain that spans lifetimes. So he takes up the sword that his mother could not--and they go back, to fight their fate.


End file.
